Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that reauthorizes the "Violence Against Women Act" for fiscal years 2013 through 2017.

Highlights:

• Requires all programs funded by the Violence Against Women Act to have a nondiscrimination policy that includes race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and disability (Sec. 3).

• Exempts sex-specific programs from the requirement that all programs funded by this act have nondiscrimination policies on the basis of sex (Sec. 3).

• Requires every petition for an adjustment in immigration status that alleges the petitioner is a victim of domestic violence by their spouse, who is a United States citizen, to be reviewed by an adjudication investigative officer to make the final determination of eligibility for an adjustment in immigration status (Sec. 801).

• Defines “domestic violence” as violence against a current or former spouse or intimate partner, whereas existing law does not include intimate partners in the definition of domestic violence (Sec. 3).

• Requires the adjudication investigative officer to determine whether the petitioner for an adjustment in immigration status has previously filed applications for immigration benefits that were denied and to assess the reason for the denials when determining eligibility for an adjustment in immigration status (Sec. 801).

• Prohibits the adjudication investigative officer from determining the eligibility of a petitioner for an adjustment in immigration status on the grounds that the immigrant is a victim of domestic violence perpetrated by the immigrant's spouse, who is a United States citizen, if an investigation or prosecution of the domestic violence is pending (Sec. 801).

• Increases the penalty for stalking by 5 years in the following circumstances (Sec. 1003):
• The individual violates a protection order; or
• The victim of the offense is under the age of 18 or over the age of 65 and the offender was over the age of 18 at the time of the offense.

• Appropriates $222 million for fiscal years 2013 through 2017 to be used for programs that combat violence against women including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 101):
• Programs that develop state, local, or tribal policies for responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;
• Programs that develop policies and training for law enforcement and prosecutors to investigate and prosecute sexual assault cases and provide treatment to victims of sexual assault;
• Programs that address sexual assault against men, women, and youth in correctional and detention settings;
• Programs that identify backlogs of sexual assault evidence and develop protocols for responding to backlogs; and
• Educational programs that address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

• Defines “youth” as an individual between 11 and 24 years of age, whereas existing law defines youth as teens and young adults (Sec. 3).

• Appropriates $73 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 for the development of programs that encourage arrest policies and enforcement of protection orders including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 102):
• Programs that educate law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judicial employees, and judges about domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;
• Programs that develop state, local, and tribal policies for responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and
• Programs that provide human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, counseling, and prophylaxis for sexual assault victims.

• Reduces appropriations from $65 million to $57 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 to develop programs that provide legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (Sec. 103).

• Reduces appropriations from $50 million to $40 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 to develop programs that provide sexual assault services (Sec. 201).

• Reduces appropriations from $55 million to $50 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 to develop rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child abuse enforcement assistance programs (Sec. 202).

• Defines “rural” as a state that has a population density of 57 individuals per square mile and whose largest county has less than 250,000 individuals, whereas existing law defines rural as a state that has a population density of 52 individuals per square mile and whose largest county has less than 150,000 individuals (Sec. 3).

• Reduces appropriations from $10 million to $9 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 for training and services to end violence against women with disabilities (Sec. 203).

• Appropriates $9 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 for training and services to end abuse of individuals who are 60 years of age or older, whereas existing law does not appropriate any funds for this purpose (Sec. 204).

• Reduces appropriations from $80 million to $50 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 for rape prevention and education programs for young victims of violence and requires the funds to be appropriated as follows (Sec. 301):
• Appropriates funds to each state, territory, and the District of Columbia based on population; and
• If over $48 million is appropriated in any fiscal year, a minimum of $150,000 must be allocated to each state, territory, and the District of Columbia.

• Appropriates $15 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 to develop victim-centered services that focus on youth and children who are victims of, or are exposed to, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and requires at least 10 percent of these funds to be appropriated to Indian tribes (Sec. 302).

• Reduces appropriations from $10 million per year to $4 million for each fiscal year 2013 through 2017 to providing housing for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (Sec. 603).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text